‘From Memory To Movement: Emmett at 85’ – Artist Talk
@ Blanc Gallery
4445 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60653
Opening Saturday, June 27th, from 3PM - 6PM
On view through Saturday, July 25th
Blanc Gallery, in partnership with the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute, proudly presents FROM MEMORY TO MOVEMENT: EMMETT AT 85, a powerful group art exhibition commemorating what would have been Emmett Till’s 85th birthday (b. July 25, 1941).
Curated by Raymond A. Thomas, the exhibition brings together a distinguished roster of Black Chicago-bred and Chicago-based contemporary artists whose works reflect on memory, identity, resistance, grief, and liberation. Participating artists include: Paul Branton, Roger Carter, Gerald Griffin, Candace Hunter, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Bryant Lamont, John Caleb Pendleton, Max Sansing, Norman Teague, Raymond A. Thomas, Bernard Williams, and Kevin (WAK) Williams.
FROM MEMORY TO MOVEMENT: EMMETT AT 85 serves not only as an act of remembrance but also as a call toward collective reflection and continued movement. Through painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, participating artists reexamine Emmett Till’s story beyond martyrdom, asking urgent questions about Black life, inheritance, historical memory, and the future of justice in America.
Artist Talk
June 27, 2026; 3pm-6pm
Blanc Gallery
4445 S. Martin Luther King Drive
Featured artists of FROM MEMORY TO MOVEMENT: EMMETT AT 85, will be in conversation about the art making process, the importance of elevating the Till family legacy in today’s movement times, and the profound reflection on historical memory, resistance, and liberation. The discussion will also explore how the exhibition holds space for both devastation and joy, bridging the past and the present through the transformative power of art.
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Tags: 'From Memory To Movement: Emmett at 85', artist talk, Bernard Williams, Blanc Gallery, bronzeville, BRYANT lamont, Candace Hunter, Gerald Griffin, John Caleb Pendleton, Kevin (WAK) Williams, max sansing, Norman Teague, Paul Branton, Raymond A. Thomas, Roger Carter, Tonika Lewis Johnson
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